


Inheritance of Hatred

by ravarath



Series: Inheritance of Hatred [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon divergent after chapter 531, Gen, M/M, Slow Burn, ninja canonverse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-18 19:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4716998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravarath/pseuds/ravarath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the midst of war, Naruto has only one goal: to bring Uchiha Sasuke home. And to that end, he will risk it all to retrieve the one person closest to his heart. (Canon divergent after chapter 531)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The original version of this story was posted on fanfiction.net in 2011/2012, reposted with minor changes and corrections. This is canon divergent from manga chapter 531 and onwards.

The sun hung low in the dusky amber sky, glowing dully against the harsh, ruined landscape. In the distance, the dark sea churned restlessly, disturbed by falling bodies and fighters splashing through its waters. Shinobi lined the cliffs and desolate outcroppings of rock, raining steady showers of kunai, shuriken, and jutsus through the air. Wind whipped through their shouts and cries, rendering words indistinguishable. Wave after wave of White Zetsus surged over the terrain, clashing with the shinobi joint forces.

A few kilometers away, a young teenager crouched hidden in one of the few remaining groves of trees not yet demolished by the fighting. His fists were clenched at his side as he watched the gathered ninjas battle Madara and Kabuto's infernal army. Every part of Naruto longed to jump in the fray and aid his friends and comrades…but he had to deal with a greater threat.

Reluctantly, he turned his gaze to the southwest. Somewhere there, within a day's journey, Madara and Kabuto were at the rear of their army, waiting while scores of clones and resurrected shinobi whittled away at the five nations' forces. And with them…was Sasuke.

Readjusting the straps of his backpack, Naruto looked over the land before him, eyes picking out a path to take that would avoid most detection. With a slow inhale of breath, he quickly gathered the chakra to the soles of his feet, preparing to start his-

He darted to the side just in time, a tiny flare of chakra and the rush of air his only warning as a heavy rope net fell where he'd been crouching just a split second before. The blond ducked into a roll to get a little more distance between himself and whoever his adversary was.

The mesh of the net crackled with energy, flashing an electric blue. A chakra net, obviously designed to prevent the target from escaping. He instantly reached towards his hip holster, withdrawing three shuriken. Besides the net still sparking in the dirt, he couldn't detect another chakra signature in the vicinity, so whoever it was trying to capture him was reasonably skilled. Naruto strained his ears for any hint of sound, stilling his body. Maybe it'd be a good idea to enter Sage Mode to try and find-

"Hold it."

He froze as he felt the chill of cold steel graze the nape of his neck, the imminent threat clear. However, the deep and calm voice that spoke was familiar. "Kakashi-sensei." It wasn't a question.

"Yo." The silver-haired Jōnin lowered his kunai. "Going somewhere?" His student didn't reply, nor did he need to. Kakashi understood well what Naruto was probably feeling right now. Just a few hours ago, scouting parties had reported back with information about Madara's base. While the other generals had been more concerned about a plan of attack, Kakashi knew his students well, and had feared Sakura or Naruto – especially Naruto- would go after Uchiha Sasuke themselves. Clearly, his suspicions hadn't been far off base. "I know what you're trying to do, Naruto. And as your team leader, I want you to stop and come back with me. That's an order."

The young blond sighed. He'd expected this, but had hoped he could elude his teacher long enough to escape. "Sasuke is my responsibility, Kakashi-sensei. I can…stop him."

They both knew he'd meant to say _I can save him_. But it was a hope that had grown terribly feeble over the past few months, to the point where Naruto and Sakura no longer voiced it. It was a hope that Kakashi had all but lost. He'd already lost one protege, and he was not about to let another throw away his life.

"Don't do this, Naruto. It's not worth it." Naruto was looking to the side and away from his gaze, but Kakashi knew he was listening. "You may not want to keep hearing this, but it's critical that you get it. You have to understand that Sasuke is a product of the shinobi system we live and function in The Uchiha, his family, were killed as a result of Konoha's crimes, it's true. But they did their fair share of murder and evil too over the generations. And unfortunately, Sasuke has chosen to side against us. Don't go after him, Naruto. He is not the Sasuke we used to know anymore. Madara has taken advantage of his hatred and lust for vengeance." He sighed, running a hand absently over his Sharingan, obscured by his hitai-ate. Close by, the sounds of war raged on: screams and bloodcurdling yells, the sharp tang of metal on metal, bodies moving and hitting earth. It all coalesced into a dull roar of noise that persisted day and night, until silence was simply a fading memory.

Naruto finally turned, his expression determined as he faced his team leader. "I can do this, Kakashi-sensei. And I know you think it's me doing too much to keep a promise to Sakura…but it's more than that." He sighed, brow furrowing in thought. "In so many ways, I could've been like Sasuke is now…He might not think so, but he's like a brother or a part of me that I can't give up on. The way I see it, if someone like me who everyone used to hate can be happy, then he should too!" He pounded a fist into his other hand, punctuating his statement. "I'm the only one who can take his hatred and anger, so it's my job and no one else's."

Somewhere back at headquarters, the Kages were probably just discovering the Nine Tail's jinchūriki's disappearance, no doubt with apprehension and anger. But for those who knew Naruto, it was hardly surprising. Keeping the blond in the dark about the war had been hard enough, but preventing him from taking action once he found out was near impossible. Especially when it came to his former teammate. He'd overheard enough to realize what was going on around him, and to find out their information on Sasuke's whereabouts.

"What if the Sasuke you find isn't worth saving," the Jōnin said quietly. "Would you still risk your life for him?" Naruto glared back at him, clearly not accepting the possibility. "Naruto, there are so many things you don't understand about him."

The blond scoffed. "Like what?"

"Like the Sharingan."

"So what, it copies-"

Kakashi slowly uncovered his left eye, the three black tomoe swirling slowly against a blood red eye. "I'm not referring to what it does. I'm asking you if you know what it _means_." At Naruto's blank and confused look, he continued. "In many ways, this eye is a gift. It can give you great power, help vastly in battle. It sees everything and forgets nothing. But make no mistake," he slid the hitai-ate back over his eye. "the Sharingan is the curse of the Uchiha clan."

"I don't get-"

"Listen to me, because I need you to understand this in order to understand Sasuke. Do you know how the Mangekyo Sharingan is achieved?"

Naruto shrugged, slightly put off by the conversation. "You train really hard?"

"It requires that you kill your best friend." Kakashi observed with grim satisfaction that the color had drained out of Naruto's face. "Great power at great cost. But using the Mangekyo too much will eventually make the user go blind." He stared straight at his student, making sure the message sank in. "And the only way to prevent that…is to take another's Sharingan and implant them into yourself." By now, Naruto's face was slightly green with horror and disgust, but it was necessary that he know. "You kill your best friend for power, and you slaughter your kinsman to keep it. And today, their clan barely exists anymore because of it. In many ways, the Uchiha bloodline exemplifies a lot of what is wrong in the ninja world: greed, power for the price of innocence. They leave behind a legacy of bloodshed, of horror, and of hatred. And Sasuke has inherited it…" Surreptitiously, the Jōnin reached a hand into his side pouch, fingers closing loosely around a coil of thin rope. "Naruto, you shouldn't waste your life to try and save him."

A part of Kakashi empathized with Naruto's need to confront and try to retrieve his former rival. He'd seen that hope in Sandaime-sama and Jiraiya when it came to Orochimaru. And for a while, Kakashi had also held on to the small hope that Sasuke was redeemable. But seeing his ex-student's actions and attempts to kill Sakura had virtually squelched that belief. Team Kakashi's failure weighed heavily on his conscience, and the Jōnin regarded it as his own personal duty to take out the defector, and not Naruto's.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave here, Naruto. Let's get you back to HQ and-"

Both men moved within milliseconds of each other. Kakashi's hand flashed, whipping the rope forward in a wide arc. His other hand formed a seal, channeling chakra into electricity through the rope coils. It was best to end this quickly, before Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja came up with a plan.

Naruto ducked just in time, hitting the ground as he felt the weapon skim the hairs on his head with a sharp hiss. The Jōnin had probably loaded it with enough energy to stun and render him immobile. Obviously, he'd decided an unconscious Naruto would be easier to haul back to Tsunade. Well, couldn't have that. Kakashi had retrieved the chakra net, whirling it in his hand to gain momentum for a throw. Thinking fast, Naruto lobbed two smoke bombs into the air, straight at the Jōnin's head.

Instinctively, the older man lashed out with the net, blocking the projectiles from striking him. Instantly the two shells burst, releasing large plumes of dust and smoke and obscuring Naruto from view. _Nice try, but…_ Undeterred, Kakashi pushed up his hitai-ate, the fearsome Sharingan spinning rapidly.

_There_.

This time, Naruto was a moment too late, stumbling as the electrified rope coiled around his legs, forcibly lashing them together. Fumbling, he launched the three shuriken at the Jōnin, aiming for his hands. A split second later, the chakra net slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him and tipping him backwards.

Kakashi easily sidestepped the shuriken attack, not bothering to turn as they shot past him and landed uselessly in ground a few meters away. He waited half a minute as Naruto thrashed angrily on the ground, movements eventually slowing to a stop. "Sorry Naruto, but it's for the-"

With a sharp pop, the body lying on the ground abruptly disappeared, leaving only traces of smoke and chakra.

_Shit_. It was a shadow clone. The Jōnin spun around, searching with his Sharingan. In the distance, he could make out faint bursts of chakra as Naruto sped away. Grudgingly, he had to admit the kid had a good head for strategy. He'd used the smoke cloud to hide as he'd made a shadow clone, and then transformed himself into a shuriken. Kakashi's attention had been focused on the capturing the clone, who'd thrown the real body. One thing was for sure though: the Fifth was going to chew him out.

With a sigh, he pressed a finger to the short-range communicator affixed to his vest collar. "Communications team, come in." He waited for the affirmative squawk before continuing. "I have a message for Hokage-sama."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Uzushiogakure: Hidden Whirlpool village, where Uzumaki Kushina and the Uzumaki clan originated from. No longer exists, as it was destroyed by war.  
> \- Ninshu: the Shinobi Sect. Teachings of the Sage of the Six Paths. Later became known as ninjutsu.  
> \- Chibaku Tensei: Technique used by the Sage and Nagato. Uses gravity to amass objects from all directions into a sphere. Called Planetary Devastation in the anime, or Catastrophic Planetary Construction in the Viz manga.
> 
> (referenced from Narutopedia)

Naruto ran steadily onward, constantly looking behind him, feeling with his chakra. It seemed he'd lost Kakashi for now, but he didn't expect that to be the case for long. And once Tsunade got wind of his escape, it would be more than just one Jōnin after him. He sighed, casting his eyes to the wide open sky. His friends would be worried and probably angry...but he could no longer stand by and let Sasuke blaze a one-way trail into darkness.

_"I spared your life on a whim, nothing more."_

The memory of that encounter weighed heavily on his heart. He refused to believe that Sasuke could cherish only revenge and killing. After all, dark as his heart had become...he'd spared Naruto's life once before. If it was a whim, then Naruto believed it was a whim born out of a deeper part of Sasuke that was still compassionate, still the Sasuke that once leapt unhesitatingly into harm's way to save him. However small or suppressed that part might be, he was determined to bring it back home to Konoha. Back home to him.

_"Naruto... it's too late, nothing you can say will change me."_

It infuriated him to recall how Sasuke had tried not once but twice to kill Sakura. And for his female teammate and Kakashi, it was a sign of how far gone the Uchiha had become. Already, Naruto felt the same sort of despair creep over his hopes, but he firmly repulsed it. Besides, hadn't they known someone who in the not-too-distant past had been just the same way as Sasuke was now? Hadn't Gaara once cared only for murder and bloodshed, for darkness and pain? Hadn't he cursed the people and family around him, holding nothing but contempt for their lives? And now it was Gaara who'd assumed the mantle of Kazekage, it was Gaara who rallied his troops into battle to protect his village, his friends, and the jinchūriki. Surely if someone who'd had so wretched a childhood and worldview could change and be redeemed, then all was not lost with Sasuke.

_"I'm going to kill you and every last person in your beloved village! It's time to make your choice! Kill me and become a hero, or die at my hand and become another one of my victims."_

It seemed a lifetime ago now that his younger self had declared that he would one day be a hero, acknowledged by all his peers. But he would not buy the status of hero with Sasuke's blood. It was not his ninja way. Jiraiya and Nagato had made it clear to him that the present world system had too many flaws; peace paid for in lives only brought more hatred. Families and friends were torn apart for a fleeting calm that always broke.

Thinking about his late godfather and teacher brought a bittersweet smile to his face. The perverted old man had believed in him, and he fully planned on making him proud. On reflex, Naruto's hand went into his back pocket, fingering a small book Jiraiya had given him not too long after he took the young boy on as a student.

* * *

_He squinted down at the small, leather-bound booklet Jiraiya had tossed at his head. The infamous Toad Sage was once again conducting 'research' and had only offered the book when Naruto whined for some actual training._

_"Here, read. Learn something."_

_"Ero-sennin! What the heck is this supposed to be?" The book had definitely seen better days; it was worn and dog-eared , parts of the cover spattered with years-old stains._

_Jiraiya didn't turn, his face firmly pressed up to a small hole in the bathhouse wall. The women's bathhouse. "It's a book of special jutsus written by a former student of mine."_

_Special jutsus? That piqued the young blond's interest. Flipping through the first few pages, his eager expression quickly fell. "This is just a bunch of scribblings and useless seals."_

_The white-haired man rolled his eyes, casting an exasperated look back at his latest protege. "What are you calling useless, idiot? That's a record of unique fūinjutsu found in no other country!"_

_Naruto blinked, face blank. "Fūinjutsu?"_

_Jiraiya turned fully away from his 'research subjects,' dumbfounded. "You really are a talentless boy. How did you graduate from the Academy, idiot!" He snatched the book away from an indignant Naruto, ignoring his yells of rage. "Fūinjutsu is the art of sealing, you moron! You can seal away chakra, living things, or weapons with the right type of jutsu."_

_"Eh, that sounds boring." The young Genin crossed his arms huffily. "Teach me a cool jutsu! Wah-" He yelped as the book was suddenly thrown at his head, clipping him in the temple. "What the hell, you perverted old man?"_

_"I'm not teaching you anything else until you read some of that book. You never know when you might need to know something about seals." With a final glare at his student, Jiraiya turned back to his previous activity of peeking, pointedly ignoring Naruto._

_"Che..." He opened the cover again, squinting at the narrow script on the inside. Apparently the author was someone named..."Who's Minato Nami-something?"_

_"Namikaze, idiot. The Fourth Hokage."_

_Instantly, Naruto's eyes lit up. "Holy crap! This was the Fourth's book?"_

_"Sure was. So you better start reading."_

* * *

He smiled down at the battered little volume with fondness and a bit of nostalgia. When he'd first received it, he hadn't known that Jiraiya had given him a book written by his father and mother. It contained a record of some of *Uzushiogakure's carefully guarded sealing techniques, from simple methods of storing weapons to jutsus that could completely seal away a person's chakra. He kept it with him always, treasuring it as a memento of his family: Minato his father, Kushina his mother, and Jiraiya his godfather.

It also contained some of the Fourth's theories and musings. Minato had apparently been especially intrigued by the tale of the Sage of the Six Paths, and did some research into the legend. Ever since his encounter with Nagato, Naruto had read his father's writings over and over, in hopes of finding an answer to a derelict and crumbling shinobi system. He'd pored over it so many times he practically knew the story word for word...

* * *

_Long ago_ , _the world was torn endlessly by never-ending war. Years of fighting and years of destruction left the people desolate and full of despair. It was during this terrible age that a lone man, a priest, appeared. He traversed the world to spread the word about his religion: *ninshu. He taught listeners about chakra, and encouraged them to spread wisdom and harmony. He performed many heroic deeds and inspired people with his genuine hope for peace. He was the Sage of the Six Paths._

_In the time of the Sage, the world was tormented by a horrendous and powerful demon: the Juubi, the Ten-Tailed Beast. It was an abomination of foul energy, capable of mass carnage and destruction. For generations, it plagued the world with its terror and mayhem. Finally, the Sage of the Six Paths confronted it._

_After a long and awful battle, the Sage was able to subdue the Ten-Tails, which he then sealed into his own being to trap its terrible power. This victory elevated the Sage to a god-like status in the_ _shinobi world, and people hailed him as a savior._

_However, the Sage knew that the seal would break upon his death; a more lasting way to contain the Juubi was needed. He ultimately used his great power to divide the beast's massive chakra into nine separate parts, and these became tailed beasts that were scattered throughout the world. As one final safeguard, the Sage then created a enormous prison of rock with his *Chibaku Tensei technique, burying the bodily remains of the Juubi within it and then casting the great sphere of stone into the heavens. This created the moon, and the Juubi lies entombed in its depths to this day. The Sage left behind a tablet chronicling the tale of the Juubi for his descendants to one day read. Only those who possessed eyes like that of the Sage- the fabled Rinnegan- were able to read the tablet in its entirety. Men possessing lesser eyes- like the Sharingan- can only read parts of it._

_Towards the end of the Sage's life, he knew his dream of a lasting peace was still far from being obtained. Thus, he entrusted this mission and his legacy to his two sons: his older son inherited the Sage's powerful eyes and boundless chakra, while his younger inherited his father's body and strong will. Though brothers, the two were as different as night and day: the brash, older brother asserted that only great power would bring about peace. His kind, younger sibling disagreed, and believed that love would bring about peace. As he lay dying, the Sage appointed his younger son as his successor, causing his other son to become hateful and jealous. He attacked his brother, thus beginning the war that spanned throughout their lives and the lives of their descendants._

_Descending from the younger brother is the Senju clan: a powerful lineage of ninjas that were renowned for their mastery of all areas of the shinobi arts, earning the reputation as 'the clan with a thousand skills.'_

_Their rivals were the Uchiha clan, descended from older son of the Sage. Like their progenitor, the Uchiha bloodline was blessed with fearsome, powerful eyes: the Sharingan. And like the two brothers, the Senju and the Uchiha warred for generations._

* * *

Naruto sighed, deep in thought. It was disquieting to see how a clan's quest for dominance and power had grown to infect and plague the shinobi world today. Though Uchiha Itachi had all but killed off his clan, the Uchiha's darkness was still prolonged into the present by Sasuke and Madara. Kakashi had been right: it was a lineage of despair and emnity. Sasuke sought vengeance against Konoha for his brother's and his family's deaths, but he failed to recognize his own kinsmen's contributing role in bringing about those sad events. Their massacre was tragic, but Naruto did not agree with Sasuke in that they were totally blameless for all that had happened.

But would Sasuke listen to him? After all, as an Uzumaki, Kushina had said they were related to the Senju. It was almost poetically inevitable then that they would fight.

_"What if the Sasuke you find isn't worth saving? Would you still risk your life for him?"_

He didn't think for an instant that Sasuke couldn't be rescued from his current state. Self-doubt was something Naruto refused to allow into his life. So he would follow Sasuke. And with his own two hands he'd drag his ass back, no matter what the cost.


	3. Chapter 3

Team Ten watched the man in front of them unfold a large map, laying it flat on the sandy ground. Ino turned at a small sound behind her, spotting two more shinobi approaching. She waved as Sai and Sakura quickly ran the remaining distance and stopped amidst the group.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?" Sakura briefly smiled at her friends, more out of habit than anything. They'd all been called off the battlefield abruptly by their division commanders without explanation and sent to the rear of the army's position.

Seeing her team leader up close for the first time in days, the pink-haired kunoichi was shocked to see how tired he looked. His spiky silver hair was more disarranged than usual, and the Jōnin's skin was noticeably paler. But his eyes were still bright and alert, sparked with determination. He motioned for the group to come closer, clearing his throat.

"We don't have much time, so I'll be brief. Naruto has left headquarters." He paused as the young men and women around him gave cries of surprise and alarm. Kakashi waved off the questions that instantly were directed at him. "He's gone after Sasuke."

Closing her eyes, Sakura drew in a shaky breath. _Naruto, you idiot_ , she thought wearily. Frankly though, she wasn't surprised at all by this, but had hoped her friend would have learned to not be so rash. And the shinobi joint forces couldn't spare any fighters as it was, especially with Madara's army outnumbering them.

Tapping a spot on the map, Kakashi started speaking again. "Our scouts indicated Madara's base to be around here. It's a forested area that dips into a canyon, so they'll be underground." He slid his finger a few inches back. "Naruto evaded capture this morning, just an hour ago, and was following the slope-line down here. I estimate he'll find Madara's hideout some time tomorrow afternoon."

Shikamaru leaned in closer, studying the map. "We're going to intercept?" He traced a finger over a thin wavy blue line, indicating a body of water. "Along the river?"

Kakashi nodded. "Right, Shikamaru. Naruto chose a route that is more heavily forested, probably to avoid detection by Madara or Kabuto. And luckily for us, that will slow him down a bit. We'll be following this river inland. It'll probably be more closely watched by our enemies, but it's a more direct route towards the base. With any luck, we'll be able to get Naruto back before he gets there." He straightened up, gazing briefly at each of them. "Bring him back at all costs. We cannot allow Naruto to be captured." Here, he looked sharply at Sai and Sakura. "Do not hesitate to incapacitate him if it'll help you bring him back. Hokage's orders."

Sai nodded, expression blank. Beside him, Sakura bit her lip, but also nodded in understanding.

Kakashi turned to the young man standing next to him. "Any suggestions, Shikamaru?"

The dark-haired Chūnin nodded, pointing at groups of three. "I suggest we split into two groups, and travel separately towards the hideout. We'll stay in range for our communicators, but let's send one team slightly ahead." He paused a moment, running quick calculations through his head before pointing to a spot on the map. "Likely, we'll intercept Naruto around here tomorrow morning. We should have my team as the further back team, and Team Seven will loop forward then back." He nodded at his teammates. "We have a good chance of grabbing him with either my Shadow Bind or Ino's Mind-Body switch. If we lose him, he'll most likely head further south, where Team Seven will be waiting." He looked to Kakashi, who nodded in agreement. "So we'll have two chances to catch him. Choji, Ino, and I will do our best but...you know how Naruto can be." He let the words sink in before stepping back a step.

With a flick of his wrist, Kakashi rolled the map back up, slipping it back into his side pouch. "Right. Set your radio frequencies to channel 3, and let's move out."

* * *

As the sun set slowly in the hazy sky and cast long shadows over the grass, Naruto stopped for a short rest by the river. Scooping up a handful of crisp, chilly water, he quenched his thirst quickly. With a sigh, he dried his wet hands on his pants. The last of the sun's rays glinted off the surface of the water, lighting up his rippled reflection. Seeing the hitai-ate tied to his forehead and the engraved leaf emblem shining, he thought of his other teacher who'd tried to stop him.

_You're like a little brother to me._

The emotion that suddenly came welling up made him blink several times, deeply touched. Iruka had been the first person to acknowledge his existence as a person, rather than just the vessel for the Nine Tails. When he was young, he hadn't realized that the scoldings and strictness the Chūnin had constantly issued towards him was born out of a brotherly affection. And though he was running away now, Naruto knew that he would eventually return to his family: to Iruka who was so much like an overprotective older brother; to Sakura who was as close as a sister to him; to Kakashi, who was much like an eccentric uncle that hid a noble heart. And to the rest of his friends, who made up his Konoha family.

But this family was incomplete. Sasuke- whom he cared for closer than a sibling or a lover- was absent from their home. The one he'd chased for so long had never before seemed so far off...but Naruto believed he had enough hope and love to break through whatever hatred Sasuke had inherited. And if he didn't, then the very least he could do was die with Sasuke and spare future generations from their suffering. After all, meeting his parents had made one thing clear: life was precious, and worth sacrificing to save. And as the son of Minato and Kushina, he refused to let even one salvageable soul slip away.

Straightening up, he brushed some dirt off his knees. Evening was falling quickly over the land, and Naruto debated whether he should continue his journey or stop to rest. On reflex, he drew in a quick breath, focusing his concentration and allowing the Nine Tale's chakra to flow forth. Bright yellow light flared and swept over every part of his body, creating a flickering, flame-like shroud. Instantly, his awareness rushed outwards, heightened by the surge in energy. far off, he could feel the maelstrom of chakra bursts surrounding the area where the brunt of the fighting was taking place. Ghostly signatures that were the Zetsus fell one by one as his friends pushed attack after attack forward. But more kept coming.

For a fleeting moment his desire to find Sasuke wavered, replaced with the yearning to just turn back and help his friends and fellow shinobi in the war. But thinking of his friends reminded him of Sasuke, who he could not allow to join the fray.

He didn't need any more blood on his hands.

Naruto looked up suddenly, peering directly behind him. Six distinct chakra signatures were moving steadily towards his location. With his Nine Tails augmented perception, he could easily make out the members of Teams Seven and Ten. Clearly, Tsunade had picked Team Ten as backup for Kakashi for their unique array of abilities. He frowned, releasing the fox's chakra and allowing it to recede back into its seal. They were here sooner than he'd thought; guess there was no time for a break. And while Naruto was fairly certain he could overpower whatever method they planned to use to restrain him, he preferred to save his energy for his upcoming confrontation with Sasuke.

After all, he doubted the Uchiha would come quietly.

* * *

A small speck in the darkening sky, the owl soared gracefully along on the cool winds. Its keen amber eyes easily spotted the orange-clad youth standing still by the river. It watched as the boy suddenly flared with unusual yellow light, looking behind himself. After a minute, the light faded, and the young shinobi resumed his quick pace away.

Taking all this in, the owl suddenly jerked, faltering in mid-flight. It plummeted several feet before the bird seemed to regain its senses, flapping wings with a sharp screech.

Hundreds of feet below, Ino's eyes slowly opened as her consciousness quickly returned to her own body when the Mind-Body Switch disengaged. Her legs moved unheeded beneath her in a rapid run, keeping her in pace with her teammates. "Thanks, Shikamaru."

He nodded at her, allowing the shadow controlling her body's movements to shrink and withdraw. "Did you see Naruto?"

As an answer, Ino quickly fingered on her communicator. "Kakashi-sensei, it's Ino." She waited a moment for the Jōnin to answer. "I spotted Naruto, but I think he detected us. Should we change our plan?"

Static buzzed lowly for several minutes. "We're very close to the enemy base. Whatever new strategy we may come up with, there isn't enough time to put it into motion. Stay on your current course."

The blonde girl looked over at her dark-haired teammate, silently asking his opinion. Shikamaru frowned, but shook his head. No, Kakashi was right.

"Affirmative. Team Ten out."

Not too far off, Kakashi was running past trees and leafy foliage, Sakura and Sai close behind. His sharp eye could see that Sakura's expression was troubled after Ino's report. Already, there was a kink in the mission. But it couldn't be helped. He pushed his hitai-ate up an inch, taking a quick look around them before sliding it back down. No enemy scouts so far.

_A lowlife outsider like you has no right to go around showing that eye off!_

The Sharingan in his left socket twinged at that memory. Kakashi sighed, reflexively squeezing the bridge of his nose to alleviate the headache oncoming. Obito, he thought solemnly, what would you do in my place? The Copy Ninja wondered if it was merciful that his best friend had died so young, and not lived to see the tragedy that his family had become. Kakashi hadn't had time to pay a visit to the memorial stone before leaving Konoha, so he looked now into the soft evening sky, offering up a silent prayer.

_Save us from this history of hatred._

* * *

_Fatigue and overexertion burned at his limbs, at his eyes like hellfire, making every movement labored. But he stubbornly stood his ground, leveling a cold gaze at the yellow-haired boy walking closer and closer._

_"Our battle will be inevitable, if you really do attack the Leaf." Naruto stopped less than a foot away,_ _standing effortlessly on still water. "So keep your hatred, let it fester...and hit me with it full force." He raised a hand, reaching out and taking Sasuke's._

_The Uchiha tried to jerk out of his grip, but his hands refused to obey. Exhaustion seemed to weigh down his muscles like molten iron, rendering him immobile. He could only watch as his ex-teammate pulled his hand close to his chest, placing the palm directly over his heart, as if indicating to Sasuke where to aim his strike._

_"I'll bear the burden of your hatred...and we'll die together!" And Naruto smiled, an expression that was both pitying and determined. "I'm coming for you, Sasuke."_

He opened his mouth then, to scream at him, to make him understand that his quest to save him was foolish. But his lungs filled with stale air, and Sasuke jerked awake. The coarse blanket that had been covering him fell away, piling noiselessly on the ground. His breaths came in short pants as the dark-haired young man sat up in the darkness. Just a dream...

_Goddamn Naruto and his obstinate ways_. And his smile...it infuriated him the most. Partly because it never wavered, but also because it reminded him of someone else.

Physically, Naruto was the exact opposite of Uchiha Itachi; he was loud, bright, and ostentatious while his brother had been reserved, dark, and burdened. But when the blond smiled, it was in a way that was hauntingly similar to his dead brother's all those years ago when they had been young: confident, but tinged with pity towards Sasuke. And that was what piqued his anger, the pity. Because he didn't want their pity; he wanted them to suffer and bleed and cry out in anguish as he had all those years after the slaughter of his clan.

He slowly felt his face, fingers tentatively tracing the bandages covering his eyes. Itachi's eyes had been successfully transplanted into his own sockets, and Sasuke could feel a new sense of vigor flowing from them. He estimated his recovery to be nearly complete, and the first thing he aimed to do was find Naruto and wipe the smile from his face.

Because that smile always managed to cut straight into his soul, to a part of himself he'd spent years trying to choke off. Because he could always clearly see the undying affection in those blue eyes, directed towards him. And he didn't want it; he'd stopped wanting it the day he found out his family was dead on a whim of Konoha's leaders.

It was as if the Mangekyo Sharingan let him see the merciless truth of the world: since its awakening, he could clearly see the line between the Uchiha and everyone else, and they were clearly battle-lines. To them, the Uchiha were the outsiders, treated with barely veiled fear and distrust. More than ever now, Sasuke saw that distinctly.

Except Naruto. The blond always knew exactly how to get under his skin and through his cold exterior, chasing after Sasuke with dedication born of something the dark-haired boy didn't know how to name. And when their eyes met, he could always see a fondness that refused to be changed or altered, and that disquieted him. Vengeance was a frosty sanctuary he'd taken refuge in and hidden his lifelong pain, but Naruto threatened to change that. Starting with his maddening smile...

Sitting up caused his recently-operated on eyes to throb, and Sasuke lowered himself back onto his bed, fighting against sleep for a few minutes.

He didn't want to see that smile tonight.


End file.
